Common Ground
by WaitingWishing
Summary: One shot about Rukia, Ichigo, and his taste in music


Alrighty, so here's my first take on a Bleach fanfic. This sorta came randomly one day, and I thought, well what the heck- I'll post it up. So here it is, and I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine. Unfortunately.

Common Ground

Rukia never really understood Ichigo's taste in music.

Sometimes it was loud, the words lost in screaming, and the whole thing just left her ear drums ringing.

Sometimes it had a beat that made her feel like dancing, but she knew there was some double meaning to the words.

There were times when Ichigo would play his music while she was reading a book or enjoying the peace and quiet, and he would play it _loud_. Extremely loud. Loud to the point where the walls shook with each beat, and the neighbors would knock on the door and complain.

She found it annoying, and perhaps he knew of this. Perhaps he played his music so loud to irritate her. Or perhaps he was a deaf idiot who enjoyed listening to music as such loud extremes.

Either way, her annoyance level rose each time, and it would only take so long before her patience cracked.

"Could you turn that racket down?" she practically shouted one day, sliding the closet door open. She had cracked; her patience was gone and now she was taking it out on the person responsible for it all.

Ichigo didn't even bother looking up from the manga in his hands. "What?" he practically shouted back at her. He hadn't heard her. No surprise.

"Turn that racket off!" Rukia growled, pointing to the radio on his desk. It was such a small thing yet it had the ability to make the biggest noise.

"Huh?"

Ok, now he was playing dumb. Furiously, she stomped towards the radio and pushed the button labeled 'power.'

Rukia sighed in relief. "There…"

But Ichigo wasn't so happy about it. "Hey! I was listening to that!"

"How could you listen to that- that-" She searched for a decent word, "-that nonsense!"

'The only nonsense around here is you!"

Ooh, that stung. Scowling bitter daggers at him, Rukia retreated back to her closet with a 'hmph!' She just closed herself in when the noise began all over again.

She groaned irritably, making a mental note to get some earplugs.

--

Rukia woke to the sweet sound of birds chirping, a simple melody that went unappreciated everyday. She sighed before realizing that something was wrong.

It was quiet.

And it wasn't the eerie, ominous type of silence, but a tranquil and serene kind of quiet. Slowly, she opened her closet door, poking her head out with caution.

Ichigo wasn't in bed.

Rukia stepped out and listened, but not a sound was heard in the house. Nothing but quiet.

She sat down on Ichigo's bed and took in the stillness that comes with peaceful interludes. She listened to the birds chirp, the clock tick, the wind softly blow through the trees, the quiet. Ah yes, nothing… but… quiet…

Perhaps too much quiet was a bad thing.

Rukia approached Ichigo's radio with new eyes. It would be her friend for now, a little company even though it played nothing but loud, deafening nonsense. Besides, the radio was nothing compared to the cries of a Hollow-

The moment she pressed the power button, she felt her eardrums pop. Reflexively, she pushed the first thing she saw, which happened to be a button with a large sideways triangle.

And then the loudness stopped.

"Uh-oh…" she said, thinking she had broken it. Before panic could ensue, a man's voice filled the air.

_Fly me to the moon_

_Let me sing among the stars_

_Let me see what spring is like_

_On Jupiter and Mars_

_In other words, hold my hand_

_In other words, baby kiss me_

Rukia's ears took in every note and every beat of the music. It was unlike anything she heard Ichigo play before, so soothing and so wonderful. She sat down on his bed, growing lost in the song.

_Fill my heart with song_

_Let me sing forever more_

_You are all I long for_

_All I worship and adore_

_In other words, please be true_

_In other words, I love you_

She liked it; she actually enjoyed listening to something that came out of Ichigo's radio for once. She made a mental note to nag him about playing better songs-

The door swung open, and Ichigo entered the room, carrying a bag full of something in one hand. He looked at Rukia for a moment, then to the radio, then back at her, eyes curious.

Then the curiosity was gone, replaced with a brewing anger.

Or was it anger? Rukia wasn't sure, but if he were angry, he'd be yelling at her. Instead, he walked over to the window and gazed outside. A portrait of a contemplative Ichigo.

"This was one of my mom's favorite songs," he said quietly, nostalgia written all over the small smile on his face. "She used to play it all the time…"

"I think I know why she liked it so much- it's nice," Rukia said, meeting his eyes. "I like it as well."

Ichigo sat next to her on the bed. "Yeah, I like it too."

They sat together, enjoying the music, each other's company, and the small but common ground between them. Finally, a moment where they weren't yelling at each other and Rukia was grateful for it.

Maybe she wouldn't need earplugs after all.

--

Oh, before I forget the song lyrics are from Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon." Love that song. Utada Hikaru's version is loveable too.

Thanks for reading!


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